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English saddle trail riding?

4K views 20 replies 17 participants last post by  Jolly Badger 
#1 ·
Two years ago, me, my mom, and a couple friends went on a girls only trail ride for a weekend. That year I took my mare Ginger-- she did fantastic!

Mom is planning another trip for sometime this year, and instead of Ginger, I want to take my new horse Mellow. Ginger is my Western horse, and Mellow is my English horse. I'm planning on doing the trail ride with my English saddle, but my problem comes down to packing. Last time I used a saddle bag that goes over the horn of my saddle, but I obviously won't have a horn with this saddle. What options are there for English riders who need to carry bottles of water and a small lunch with them on the trail? I was thinking about a back pack, but I wondered what others had done.
 
#3 ·
They make saddle bags for english saddles.

Otherwise I know someone that had a water bottle holder for a western saddle and used string and a clip to attach it to the rings on the right side of the saddle.

If you don't want to buy anything, then you'll just have to improvise. I tried riding with a backpack. Super uncomfortable to have things bumping and shifting around your back.
 
#4 ·
Small saddle bag that straps on to the D rings like this one

'Foxy' Saddle Bag | Foxy Attire

Sorry, this one's in the UK but it gives you the gist.

I'd be happy to wear a backpack if I knew I was just going to be plodding along all day, but I don't think I would want that weight imbalance if it was a more energetic ride.
 
#8 ·
I'm planning on doing the trail ride with my English saddle, but my problem comes down to packing. Last time I used a saddle bag that goes over the horn of my saddle, but I obviously won't have a horn with this saddle. What options are there for English riders who need to carry bottles of water and a small lunch with them on the trail?
There are also a good many non-English saddles that don't have horns, as for instance the Abetta Endurance ones. AFAIK, the only real use for a horn (besides something to hang a horn bag on) is if you're planning to rope something.
 
#16 ·
I love my Stowaway saddle packs - they make them for all types of saddles. I have a cantle bag, but wish I had a pommel bag because it's a pain to ben around backward for everything!
I have a couple of the Stowaway bags, too. . .they have all different styles, including ones with built in water bottle holders, and a TON of pockets.

Check out longridersgear.com - they cater to a lot of endurance riders who use English-style saddles, so they could advise you on what packs would work best for you.
 
#17 ·
I ride with a small fanny pack. I don't carry a lot of stuff but this keeps emergency items on me just in case of a "ground landing"...ID, med card, emergency locator, leatherman, leather shoelace, tissue, energy bar, small amount of vetwrap and a tiny sanitary pad for a bandage. And I always have a whistle and compass on a cord as a necklace.
 
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#18 ·
ID, med card, emergency locator, leatherman, leather shoelace, tissue, energy bar, small amount of vetwrap
I don't know what kind of leatherman you're talking about, but it made me think of this. (I hope someone else watched old SNL so I don't look stupid.)
 

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#19 ·
: ) Sunny...a Leatherman is a multipurpose tool (with more gadgets attached than a Swiss Army Knife). It folds up into a relatively small contained form so it is easily carried for just about any emergency other than brain surgery...and it might work for that if need be.
 
#21 ·
: ) Sunny...a Leatherman is a multipurpose tool (with more gadgets attached than a Swiss Army Knife). It folds up into a relatively small contained form so it is easily carried for just about any emergency other than brain surgery...and it might work for that if need be.
They are fantastic tools - I've had one for about 15 years now and it really, really comes in handy! Very good investment!
 
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